Population Pharmacokinetics of Stiripentol in Paediatric Patients with Dravet Syndrome Treated with Stiripentol, Valproate and Clobazam Combination Therapy

(Peigne S, et al. 2017) Although stiripentol has been used to treat patients with Dravet syndrome for several years, its pharmacokinetics (how the body processes the medication after a dose) are not always well understood by prescribing physicians. In this study, 35 patients with Dravet syndrome who were already taking clobazam, sodium valproate, and stiripentol were treated with roughly 50 mg/kg of stiripentol, and blood was drawn before the dose, 1 hour after the dose, and 5-8 hours after the dose.

As seen in previous studies, the body’s ability to process stiripentol decreased with patient weight, particularly in patients weighing more than 30 kg (66 pounds). The authors conclude that, in children taking stiripentol at 50 mg/kg/day for several years, the medication’s metabolites may build up in the body and cause unwanted side effects and a re-evaluation of dosing is warranted, particularly in children as they pass 30 kg (66 lb) in weight.

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Nicole is a former scientist and science educator who has an 11 year old son with Dravet syndrome and serves on the Board of Directors for the Dravet Syndrome Foundation. She reviews and summarizes research articles, making the content more accessible to those not involved in the scientific community.